The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-09-07
HORRIBLE DETAILS
OF TIE EXErER THEATRE FIRE.

9 AASAsAtADALh Dd11AlLC. X
OF TIE RXETER THEATRE FIRE
A Hundred and Fifty Lives Loat-Mcp
Women and Children Roasted-seenes.
Tint Banio DsscrIptlon-The Sad
|, Work of Recovering the bodies.
LONDON, Sept. 0.-The victims by the
! burning Of the Theatre Royal at Exeter
last night, were mostly working people.
The scene inside tho theatre when the fire
broke out was an awful ono. Some men
implored the audience to keep cool, but It
was impossible to check the frantic rush,
The theatre hose was brought into uao in
few minutes, but the watsr had little Of.
feet on the flames. The actors and actrcsae 8
wero taken from the windows with tho
aid Of ladders. They lost everything ex.
cept what they wore at the time. One
hundred and thirty bodies have beer, re, !.
covered. Thirty injured su.viyoru have
been taken to hospitals. The search for
bodies proceeds slowly. In many cases
every sherd Of clothing 10 burned OF
and the bodies look black and raw. There
are various reports IS to the origin OF the
ise. IT. s only certain that the fire broke
out lin the scene.shiftet's department.
Those who escaped say that tho special
exit was promptly opened. The fire
brigade arrived IN five minutes after the
breaking out OF the FIRE, but the efforts OF
the iitemen were without effect. There
were severa! thrilling rescued. The ma.
lority OF the victims were men and boys.
About thirty women were burned. When
the fire started the drop.aceno was low
cred to prevent a drsught. Some Ioi tho
actors opened door to escape, causing
the fire to burst through the drop.scene
and to ignite the gallery. The flames
overlook the people, who were wedged in z
IN lmmovable mass, and roasted them TO
death. Many who were rescued alive
died soon after being brought out Of tho
burning building. ,.45. 49, -
EcENEs OF TERROR, *. t.'F6
The occupants Of the dress circle cscsped
without serious harm. Only the walls OF
the structure are standing. People dis.
tractcd with anxiety are wandey;nc
about the streots in the neiphborhood n
the theatre in search of friends who at.8
tended lsst nights performances. The
hospitals are besleged by anxious inquir.
era for friends. Twenty badly burned
persons who wore admitted to hospitals
died lew moments after they wers re-.
ceived: The structure burned was
the 8 Theatre Royal. It was built
after the latest designs md was
deliberately fitted, being considered
one OF the prettiest In the Kingdom. There
was full house and everything was all
right until the end Of tho third act. at;
1880, when a drop ecene fell, and in a
moment the whole stage was a mass Of
fire. A wild panic ensued. The occu-
pants OF the etalls, pit and dress circle.
escaped after a dreadful crushing. MANY 4
being badly bruised. Tho sctoro and
actresses were in their dressing rooms
when the fire began and all eecaped.. The
fire originated in the flies and spread ran.
idly, filling the theatre with dense smoke.
The occupants OF the upper circle and
gallery rushed to the windows SCREAMING
tranticaily. Many jumped from the win.
doWH anu were injured. Others were
rescued with the aid of ladders from the
veraudas. - -, - -
i AFTER THE FIRE. -, -. 6
AZ soon as the flames vera ertino,,iahcd /
a large force Of man began searching for
bodies. The stairway leading to the GAL
le'y was literally packed with bodieg
while at the head Of the stairs there were /
scores OF others, piled one on top Of tbe
other. INC unfortunate victims had
rushed to the door when the alarm was
given, but found the ntairwsy blocked and
All means OF escape cut oil. In short /
time tho flames had reached them and
they suffered horrible death, ~: -
2 There were pitiful scenes in the
vicinity Of the burned theatre this morn
ing, as friends and solatives Of supposed
ylctlms awaited the recovery OF the bodies.
In many cases fathers and mothers both
perlehed and numerous children are thus
lett without means OF support. Several of
the bodiea wore burned 30 that only
small cinder remained. a. ~ 4.
The number Of persons severely injured
Is sixty. 1t 10 feared that the death list I
will reach ono hundred and forty. = 49,
The Standard says: 1.-THE sad Similarity
between the Exeter Theatre fira and pys. Il
vious disasters suggests culpable disregard i
OF the teachings Of experience" -.
The News says: "It is safe 10 say that !,
one effect of this awful disaster viii be- q
general law governing tho construction
and management Of public places throuvh. 9:
out the kingdom. After this cotostrophe Z.
and that Of the Opera Comique in Paris. \
We ought surely require no more warn. 4
ing."i .sN'i,S"t "A
@'5.ls THE SEARCH CONTINUES. .1. r
III A later dispatch says that It haa ham +